Gravity toy



March 16 1926.

R. G. RICHARDSON GRAVITY TOY N NIT 1 l MM N a 1|. im i Y w m e I v m .w f7 2 f aw y w I lm 1. m :I w H m L W ...m .Q n \\1/\N ,l w i .5% 7 I x a o llm. -lTw 4Patented Mar. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES RICHARD RICHARDSON, OF PIEDMONT, WEST VIRGINIA.

GRAVITY TOY.

Application led January 25, 1923. Serial No. 614,938.

'F0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD G. RICHARD- soN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Piedmont, in the county of Mineraland State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gravity Toys, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to a toy, the general object of the invention being to provide V.an inclined track down which marbles can roll with elevating means for returning the marbles to the starting point and with gate means for holding the marbles on the upper part of the track, such gate means being actuated from the elevator means after such means have been actuated to a certain eX- tent.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in thc combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, 'illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. l

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5--5l of Figure 3.

In these views, 1 indicates a base and 2 a pair of uprights which are supported on the base and to which the inclined track 3 is connected. This track is provided with` curved end portions and straight side portions, the side portions being arranged at the sides of the apparatus and the curved portions at the ends thereof. The track is so arranged that a marble or the like placed on the upper art of the track will roll down the same un er the action of gravity. An elevator frame A is arranged at one end of the base and an endless belt 4 passes over the rollers 5 which are sup orted by the frame. The belt is providhd with the spaced lugs 6 for lifting the marbles from the lower part of the track and the lower pulley is provided with a crank handle 7 so that the elevator can be actuated by hand.

A spring 8 is arranged at the upper part of the elevator for directing the marbles from the lugs through an opening 10.0n to the upper part of the track while a tongue 9 1s connected with the lower part vand passes through a lower opening 10 and has its end bent up parallel with the belt so as to form a Support for a marble within the elevator frame and prevent the marble from coming in contact with the belt. The spring and tongue are made small enough so that the lugs 6 can, pass the Same without interference. A grooved pulley 11 may be connect'ed with the crank shaft 7 so that the device can be run from a small motor, which has its belt connected with the pulley. A pm 12 connects a rod 13 with said pulley and the other end of the rod 13 is formed in the shape of a dog to engage a ratchet wheel 14 which has its shaft journaled in the suports 14 and which is provided with a pro- Jeetion 15 for engaging a lever 17 which is pivoted to a support 17,. A brake drum 16 is fastened to the shaft of the ratchet wheel and a brake spring 19 engages the same to prevent free rotary movement of the ratchet wheel. A rod 18 is pivoted to the lever 17 and passes through a guide 20 on the. upper part of the frame and has attached thereto a gate 21 which extends over the upper part of the track and tends to hold the marbles on said part of the track. This gate is associated with a signal station 22 supported on the top of the frame.

From the foregoing it will be seen that as the shaft 7 is rotated, marbles will be carried up the elevator and caused to pass through the upper hole 10 by the spring 8 and said marbles will roll down the track 3 under the action of gravity. As they reach the bottom of the track they will roll through the lower opening 10 upon the tongue 9 until picked up by the lugs 6 on the belt of the elevator. Then the marbles will be returned to the upper part of the track. As the shaft 7 is being rotated the bar 13 will give the ratchet wheel a step by step movement and finally the projection 15 will come into contact with the lever 17 and raise the same. This movement of the lever 17 will cause the rod 18 to raise the gate so as to permit the marbles held on the upper partof the track to roll down the same. After the projection 15 passes from under the lever 17 the parts will return to normal position and thus the gate will act to hold marbles upon the upper part of the track.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages land nove features of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire it to be understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall within the scope of the appended claims.

That I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a frame, an inclined track supported thereby and having curved ends and straight side portions connected with the ends, an elevator for taking articles from the lower end of the track and depositing them upon the upper end of the track, a gate for holding articles upon the upper part of the track, a lever pivoted to a part of the frame, a rod connected with the lever and with the gate for opening the gate when the lever is actuated, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted in a part of the frame and having a projection thereon for engaging the lever, a pulley connected with a shaft ofthe elevator, a rod eccentrically pivoted tothe pulley and having a dog on its end for engaging the ratchet wheel and means permitting the elevator to be actuated.

2. A device of the class described comprising a frame, an inclined track supported thereby and including straight side portions and curved end portions, an elevator frame having openings therein, the upper opening being arranged on a level with the to of the track, a tongue on the lower end ot the track extending through the lower opening, an elevator in the frame and including a belt and lugs on the same for taking articles from ofi' the tongue and raising them, a spring for causing articles to roll oi the lugs and pass through the upper opening onto the track, supporting rollers for Athe belt and means permitting one roller to be rotated.

3. A device of the class described comprising a frame, an inclined track supported thereby and including straight side portions and curved end portions, an elevator frame having openings thereinfthe upper opening being arranged on a level with the top of the track, a tongue on the lower end of the track extending through the lower opening, an elevator in the frame and including a belt and lugs on the same for taking articles from off the tongue and raising them, a spring for causing articles to roll oi' the lugs and pass through the upper o ening onto the track, supporting rol ers or the belt, means for permittin one roller to be rotated, a gate for holding articles on the upper part of the track, a ratchet wheel, a projection thereon, a lever adapted to be raised by this projection, a member connecting the lever with the gate, a dog connected with the lower roller of the elevator and engaging the ratchet wheel and brake means for the ratchet wheel.

RICHARD G. RICHARDSON. 

